The Devil's Substitute : Book #1

Piyali, a young woman treated like a fragile glass doll, finds her world irrevocably shattered when her beloved elder sister, Priyanka, vanishes on her wedding day. Now, Piyali is thrust into an unthinkable role: a substitute bride for the formidable and cold Reyansh Raghuvanshi. Trapped in a marriage born of desperation and family honor, she faces a chilling truth: Reyansh sees her only as a stand-in, a consequence for her sister's betrayal. Can innocence survive in a world of power, secrets, and a husband who views her as nothing more than a devil's substitute?

The Devil's Substitute : Book #1

Piyali, a young woman treated like a fragile glass doll, finds her world irrevocably shattered when her beloved elder sister, Priyanka, vanishes on her wedding day. Now, Piyali is thrust into an unthinkable role: a substitute bride for the formidable and cold Reyansh Raghuvanshi. Trapped in a marriage born of desperation and family honor, she faces a chilling truth: Reyansh sees her only as a stand-in, a consequence for her sister's betrayal. Can innocence survive in a world of power, secrets, and a husband who views her as nothing more than a devil's substitute?

Silent tears streamed down Piyali's cheeks, hot and ceaseless. Her pale skin was blotched red, a testament to both continuous weeping and a simmering anger towards her elder sister, Priyanka. It wasn't hatred, no, never that. Priyanka had raised her, treated her like her own child, a fragile doll to be cherished.

Yet, the betrayal stung. Piyali didn't understand why Priyanka had done it, why she had vanished, but she knew, deep down, there had to be a serious reason. Others might condemn, might gossip, but Piyali couldn't. Not when her heart ached with such profound love for the sister who had just shattered her world.

"Gudiya."

The soft, heavy voice cut through her sobs. Piyali turned, her vision blurred, to see her father, Manohar, his face etched with guilt and pain. She ran, her heavy lehenga cumbersome, and collapsed into his arms, the dam breaking completely.